Glazed Caramelized Roasted Banana Bread Doughnuts

I got this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, the Picky Palate.  It sounded so good and I just had to try it.  I loved them and so did the kids.  

3 large ripe bananas, cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 3/4 flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. sour cream

1 egg

1 c. cinnamon chips (recommended Hershey)

Glaze:

1/3 c. milk

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sliced bananas into small baking dish.  Top evenly with cubed butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake for 20-25 mins. until golden and bubbly.  Remove and mash with a fork leaving chunks of bananas.  Set aside.  Heat oil in fryer.  In a large bowl mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  Whisk heavy cream, sour cream, and egg until combined.  Slowly stir banana mixture, cream mixture and cinnamon chips into dry ingredients until combined.  Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out dough and put in oil.  Fry turning frequently or until golden brown.  Transfer doughnuts with skimmer onto a paper towel lined plate to drain until all have been fried.  In a pot mix the milk, butter and vanilla until butter is melted over low heat.  Slowly add sugar mixing  until glaze is smooth.  Dip doughnuts into glaze turning to coat and carefully remove to cookie sheet lined with wax paper to air dry. 

***I couldn't find the cinnamon chips so didn't add any and they still tasted great.  If anyone finds any though let me know where they are.  

Banana Blueberry Bread

I found this recipe on For The Love of Cooking blog (see my side bar).  This isn't your normal old banana bread.  The blueberries and coconut add so much to make this a great banana bread.  

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 c. buttermilk

1 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

1 c. shredded coconut

1 c. blueberries plus handful for top

1 Tbsp. vanilla

In medium bow mix flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  Set aside.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.  Slowly add dry ingredients alternating with  buttermilk.  Stir in bananas, coconut, vanilla, 1 c. blueberries and walnuts.  Lightly grease two bread pans.  Pour batter in pan.  Throw handful of blueberries on top.  Bake 350 degrees for 45-55 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Sugar cookie

One of my favorite cookies is sugar cookies and I am always looking for a good sugar cookie recipe.  Well around Christmas I found one thanks to Paula Deen.  How I love her recipes.  I also included a homemade icing recipe because what makes a sugar cookie go from good to great is the icing.  Let me know what you think. 

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

3 1/4 cups of flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

In large bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract until combined.  In another bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  gradually add to sugar mixture beat until smooth.  Wrap dough in heavy duty plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough on lightly floured surface (I use powder sugar instead of flour, it tastes better) to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut out into desired shapes.  Put on baking sheets and chill dough for 15 mins. (I skipped this part due to time).  Bake for 10 mins or until edges are very lightly browned.  Let cool for 2 mins and then remove to wire racks. 

Icing:

1 cube butter, softened

2 c. powder sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. almond extract

1 Tbsp. milk

Beat sugar and butter.  Add extracts and 1 Tbsp. of milk.  If still to stiff add another Tbsp. of milk.

Chicken and Rice

First off my pictures of food never are as nice looking as other peoples pictures but I still like to show what I am cooking.  One of my favorite dishes is chicken and rice.  When I think of comfort food this is usually on the list.  My grandma used to make it when I was growing up and I loved it.  I decided to make this yummy comfort food the other day and will have to make it more often because it is sooooo good and sooooo easy. 

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can of milk or water

1 1/2 c. Minute rice, uncooked (you can also use long grain rice but just add a little more water)

4 chicken breasts

1 pkg. dry onion soup mix

Mix the soups with milk or water.  Pour into a 9x13 dish.  Sprinkle rice over soup, then lay chicken pieces over rice.  Shake dry onion soup mix over all.  Cover with foil and seal sides.  Don't peek while baking!  Bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.